I’ve noticed that since the temperature cooled, I’ve been having a hard time finding good produce. I’ve also been eating a lot less fruit, probably because my favorite fruits and vegetables-peppers, tomatoes, corn, and berries-all peak in the summer months. I decided to make the change to eating local, in-season produce because buying produce at the peak of its season is supposed to make it tastier and richer in nutrients.
Before I hit up the farmers’ market this weekend, I did a little research to find out which fruits and vegetables are in season and what kind of health benefits they provide. Here is what I bought and some new recipes I’m going to try:
1) Kale: Kale is a leafy green that is packed with vitamins C and K, beta carotene, iron, calcium, and other nutrients. It is also thought to have cancer-prevention properties. I love spinach sautéed with garlic and olive oil and people say that this is also an excellent way to prepare kale.
2) Cauliflower: Cauliflower contains lots of vitamin C, folate, and fiber, as well as several phytochemicals that promote breast and prostate health. Cauliflower also comes in many colors, including purple and orange. I was nervous about buying this because I’m not a big fan of the broccoli or cauliflower flavors, but my friends makes this really yummy, cheesy cauliflower casserole. I found a similar recipe at delish.com for
Cauliflower Parmesan Gratin.
3) Pears: I didn’t grow up eating pears, so I never think to buy them, but I had one at my friend’s house over Thanksgiving and I loved it. This is good news for me because I don’t like most winter fruits. Pears provide a great dose of vitamins A, C, and E1 and also copper and potassium. I like pear sliced over salad with goat cheese and walnuts or mixed with Greek yogurt and honey.
4) Mushrooms: I love mushrooms so I was excited to hear that they’re a really important part of a vegetarian diet. Mushrooms provide riboflavin, niacin, and selenium, key nutrients that are found primarily in animal proteins. They are also the only fresh vegetable or fruit that contains vitamin D. Look for chantrelle or cremini (portabella) mushrooms this time of year. I like to make lasagna and replace the meat with sautéed mushrooms and onions. This recipe for
Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabella Caps also sounds incredible.
5) Winter Squash: Even though I cook all of the time with summer squash, I find winter squash a little intimidating. It just seems harder to prepare. However, squash is high in vitamin A and fiber and low in calories, so I decided to give it a try. Delish.com suggests just cutting it in half, scooping out the seeds, and roasting it, which sounds simple enough. I will probably also try this
Squash and Leek Lasagna.
What are your favorite fruits and vegetables this time of year?
Comments (13)
all of em :)
i boil cauliflower, then put it in a casserole dish or some over dish with a lid and cover it in pasta/tomato sauce, breadcrumbs and cheese as well as garlic salt and oregano if u like that. its a great side dish!
i actually much prefer the taste of winter squash to summer squash. i like heavier, denser tasting foods, & winter squash does that for me moreso than summer.
that being said, i LOVE mushrooms & pears, & i really would like to try kale. :)
@Peachass@xanga - that sounds good. do you bake it after putting it in the casserole dish? & do you use grated cheese, or would powdered parmesan be what you'd make that with?
I don't really care for cauliflower, mushrooms or squash. :\ If they're already in something, I'll still likely eat it, but I don't go out of my way to make dishes featuring those foods.
Pears are delicious, though. I'm indifferent towards kale.
Winter fruits and veggies I do enjoy are cranberries, oranges, grapefruits, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, snow peas, broccoli, avocados and carrots.
Acorn squash, yum.
@TheFadd@xanga -
oh yeah sorry i forgot to say that I bake it
experiment with different types of cheese. i usually mix the bread crumbs, parmesan and grated marble cheese together.
cheddar is good, too
its such a simple recipe that there is a lot of freedom to do your own thing
yum, they are all delicious!
Glad you wrote this post! I try to eat in season veggies or actually I tell myself I will try, ha! I am more successful with summer produce but I guess in the winter I always go for unhealthy comfort foods but maybe this year I will succeed in eating good for me winter produce. Thanks to this post I don't have to do the 5 mins of research on my own and therefore will be more likely to follow through, ha!
Fantastic post! I love spaghetti squash- super easy to make...hmm, I might have to buy some the next time I go to the store.
mmm winter squash! so bomb - eat it every single day and savor it's delicious flavor!
@michcoy@xanga - Thanks! If you want to find out about a few more, there is a great slide show on delish.com that talks about 20 or so winter produce items!
I'm trying to do this too. It really depends on the region where you live. For me, I've added broccoli and some leafy greens, and green peppers. I also got some bok choy recently, and it's great! I can't find pears anywhere though...and I can't find local kale either. Hmm...